Gemstones

DA OLSON, US Geological Survey

Gemstones have been used as symbols of wealth and status since prehistoric times. For example, amber has been mined for use as a gem since before 25,000 B.C. Despite their long history, gemstones have no single, precise definition that is generally accepted.

For this review, "gemstone" means any mineral or organic material (pearl, shell and petrified wood) used for personal adornment, display or object of art because it possesses beauty, rarity and durability. Of the 2,700 mineral species, only about 100 possess all these attributes.

Production

Commercial mining of gemstones has never been extensive in the United States. More than 60 kinds of gemstones have been produced commercially from domestic mines. But most of the deposits have been small compared with many other mining operations. Most US gemstone mining is conducted by hobbyists, collectors, gem clubs and small mining companies.

The commercial gemstone industry in the United States consists of several distinct sectors:

Individuals and companies that mine gemstones or harvest shell and pearl.

Firms that manufacture synthetic gemstones.

Individuals and companies that cut natural and synthetic gemstones.

The US gemstone industry is focused on the production of colored gemstones and the cutting of large diamonds.

The estimated value of natural gemstones produced from US deposits during 2000 was $16.6 million. This was a 3% increase from 1999. This was due to an increase in foreign demand for freshwater shell, which is a major component of the US gemstone industry. Domestic gemstone production also included agate, amber, beryl, coral, garnet, jade, jasper, opal, pearl, quartz, sapphire, shell, topaz, turquoise and other gem materials.

All 50 states produced at least $1,000 worth of gem materials during...